Religiously Non-Edible Animals

Religiously non-edible animals (Arabic: ما لايؤکل لحمه) are the animals that Muslims are not allowed to eat. In Islamic jurisprudence, eating certain types of quadrupeds, aquatics, and birds are considered forbidden. In addition, some animals— although normally edible—become non-edible in certain conditions.

Among terrestrial animals, different types of predators, reptiles, metamorphosed animals, insects, and birds having claws are forbidden to eat. Also, eating all aquatic animals except fishes which have scales is forbidden.

Anything made of religiously non-edible animals such as leather, medical, and cosmetic materials, provided that they are slaughtered religiously, is pure and using them for purposes other than prayer is permissible.

Meaning

Animals which are forbidden for Muslims to eat are called religiously non-edible animals. In some jurisprudential sources, religiously non-edible animals are categorized into two groups of being forbidden; forbidden in essence and inessential forbidden.

The first group includes those animals which have been forbidden to eat from the beginning, such as rabbit. The second group includes animals which are not essentially forbidden to eat, but they become forbidden to eat due to some conditions such when they become najis-eater or when they are not killed according to religious law. In some sources, the second group of animals is called inessential forbidden.

In four suras of the holy Qur'an, including Qur'an 2:173, Qur'an 5:3, Qur'an 6:145 and Qur'an 16:115, the Qur'an speaks about forbidden foods and openly mentions the prohibition of eating forbidden animals.

Types

In Shi'a jurisprudence, eating the meat of some of the three types of quadrupeds, aquatics and birds are considered forbidden.

Terrestrials

Among terrestrials, different types of predators such as leopards and bears, and reptiles such as snakes, insects such as flies and spiders, animals such as mouses and scorpions which have underground nests and metamorphosed animals such as elephants and lizards are considered as religiously non-edible animals.

Aquatic Animals

According to Shi'a jurisprudence, all aquatic animals other than fishes which have scales and shrimps are forbidden meat. Some Sunni schools of jurisprudence such as Hanbalis and Malikis consider all aquatic animals permissible meat.

Birds

Shi'a jurists have divided religiously non-edible birds into three groups, those which have claws, metamorphosed and impure ones. Examples of birds which have claws are eagle, hawk, and vulture. Peacocks, bees, and bats are considered among metamorphosed birds. Impure animals are defined as those animals which are disgusted to be eaten by humans. In some jurisprudential sources, flies and mosquitoes are mentioned among impure animals.

Prohibited Religiously Edible Animals

In Shi'a jurisprudence, in some conditions, religiously edible animals are considered the same as religiously non-edible animals. Accordingly, religiously edible animals which either have not been slaughtered according to religious law, or have become najis-eater, or they have been sexed with by humans are considered as forbidden meat animals.

Forbidden Usages

Based on Shi'a jurisprudence, eating the meat of religiously non-edible animals and any usage of them in foods is forbidden. Eating the eggs of birds and drinking the milk of religiously non-edible animals are forbidden the same as eating their meat.

Permissible Usages

Shi'a jurists consider using body parts of religiously non-edible animals permissible for usages other than eating them.

In Clothes

Using body parts of religiously non-edible animals except dogs and pigs in clothes, provided that they are killed according to religious law, is permissible. Also, using processed products made of body parts such as leather has no problem. Although the processed products made of body parts of non-edible animals killed according to religious law are pure, wearing leather clothes made of these animals is not permissible in prayer.

Jurists consider a forbidden meat animal which is not killed according to religious law najis and prohibited to be used even for usages other than in prayer.

In Medical and Cosmetic Products

Shi'a jurists consider it permissible to use medical and cosmetic products made of the body parts of religiously non-edible animals killed according to religious law. If a cosmetic product is made of a religiously non-edible animal which has not been killed according to religious law, it is najis and the body needs to be purified from such cosmetic or medical products like ointment or cream before performing prayer.

According to some scholars if medical or food products such as gelatin which is taken from the body parts of religiously non-edible animals not killed according to religious law such as from their bones are metamorphosed into other matters during production due to chemical processes or if they are transformed (istihala) they are considered pure and eating them or any other use of them is permissible.

Rule of Purity and Najasa of their Body Parts

In Shi'a jurisprudential sources, body parts of religiously non-edible animals killed according to religious law are pure. If such an animal is not killed according to religious law and its blood gushes out, it is considered the same as the carcass of a najis animal.

Najasa of their Urine and Feces

Urine and feces of religiously non-edible animals the blood of which gushes out are najis. They are the animals, the blood of which gushes out when their veins are cut.

Prohibition of Using them in Prayer

Body parts of religiously non-edible animals the blood of which gushes out should not be in the clothes in prayer, even if they are killed according to religious law. Therefore, if one hair of a cat is with the clothes of a praying person, his prayer is void.

See also

• Halal-meat animals
• Rulings of Foods and Drinks